I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to footware, and more particularly to the construction of a shoe where the entire heel or a portion thereof may be readily removed and exchanged with a heel or a heel portion having differing style, color, height, width or other characteristics.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the field of footware, and especially women's shoes, a need exists for a more economical way to match the footware to the woman's wardrobe than having one or more pairs of shoes for each suit, dress or casual outfit that a person may own. For example, more casual ware tends to dictate a shoe with a flat heel while more formal dress dictates a shoe having a high heel. Furthermore, the shoes tend to be selected based upon color and style considerations such that they will be coordinated with the wearing apparel selected for the occasion. Obtaining and maintaining a collection of shoes to meet varying occasions can be quite expensive.
Shoe styles are also dictated by the type of activity which the wearer is planning to engage in. If considerable walking is involved, a lower, wider heel is more comfortable. However, if an evening of dining and dancing is contemplated, a higher, more narrow and more elegant shoe style is desirable.
When it is considered that to a large extent, the size, shape and color of a shoe's heel has a substantial impact on its overall appearance and comfort, an advantage exists in the ability to readily remove and exchange the heel portion of the shoe. In this way, it is not necessary to acquire a large inventory of pairs of shoes but, instead, the desired "look" and/or comfort factor can be achieved by merely substituting a new heel at a significantly lower cost.